May 02
What’s Up in the Sky – May, 2021 Things Are Looking Up With all the safety precautions, vaccine news, and conflict over COVID-19, it’s nice to think about a truly non-partisan topic, and astronomy is just that. Most people simply enjoy the night sky without arguing about it. This month offers a number of opportunities …
Apr 11
What’s Up in the Sky – April, 2021 An Historic Mission on the Red Planet As winter turns to spring, the “Winter Hexagon” and the popular constellations of Orion and Taurus sink lower in the west, leaving an arc of stars formed by Procyon, Pollux, Castor, and Capella. All month the planet Mars is easily …
Jan 31
What’s Up in the Sky – February, 2021 What’s Up With Betelgeuse? Last month we focused on one of the most prominent and popular constellations, Orion. Now, as if bright nebulae, stars of all sizes and colors, and a sword and belt recognizable by all weren’t enough, Orion’s brightest and most famous (they named a …
Jan 03
What’s Up in the Sky – January, 2021 Welcome Back Winter Constellations Most people probably don’t consider January to be a time for going out and enjoying the wintry sky. After all, it’s usually cold and cloudy and often snowing. But on those rare occasions when the sky is clear, it is definitely worth the …
Dec 03
What’s Up in the Sky – December, 2020 Planets Put on a Great Show Although I often write about things that end up being hidden by clouds, this month offers a very good chance to witness a very rare sight. If your gaze has drifted toward the southwestern evening sky lately, you have hopefully noticed …
